Vol. 12, Issue 4 (2023)

Author(s):
Priti Kumari, Pawan Kumar, Kumari Karuna, Ahmar Aftab, Anand Kmar and Feza Ahmad

Abstract:
An experiment was conducted on litchi cv. China at Horticulture garden in the Department of Horticulture (Fruit and Fruit Technology), Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur, Bihar, to study the effect of pre-harvest spray of salicylic acid on yield and physico-chemical parameters of litchi. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with five treatments and four replications. Salicylic acid was sprayed twice i.e. 15 days and 30 days before anticipated harvesting time with different concentrations of salicylic acid (T₁- 50 ppm, T₂-100 ppm, T₃-150 ppm, T₄-200 ppm and T₅-control). Different concentrations have different effect on physical and biochemical parameters. Salicylic acid with T₃-150 ppm has highest fruit length (3.46 cm), breadth (3.32 cm), volume (19.22 ml), weight (21.12 g), pulp (68 %), no. of fruits (4274 fruits/plant) and yield (71.25 kg/plant), ), TSS (20.02 ⁰Brix), total sugar (13.10 %), ascorbic acid (38.21 mg/100 g pulp). Highest antioxidant (4.84 µ mol Trolox Eq. /g pulp) and anthocyanin (21.54 mg/100 g pulp) was observed in T₄-200 ppm salicylic acid.